Quality of life for Elderly with Thai Traditional Medicine Activities Case study: Nakhon Si Thammarat Province

Abstract

Quasi-experimental research, collected quantitative and qualitative data on a single group of 100 elderly volunteers which passed 7 inclusion criteria and 3 exclusion criteria. Assessed before and after participated health promotion with Thai traditional medical activities. Research aims to compare knowledge level of the elderly before and after training. Compare level of quality of life of the elderly before and after health promotion. Study the relationship between motivation, needs for beneficial, knowledge gained from workshop training and quality of life.

Prior to study, the result shows that the quality of life of the sampling group was in the middle level. However, after the study, their quality of life became good. The score increased with statistical significance (p<0.05). The motivation for workshop participation (r=0.430) and need for application in life (r=0.502) showed moderate positive relationship with better life quality with statistical significance (p<0.05). Nevertheless, there was no relationship between knowledge gained from the workshop and better quality of life (r=0.066, p>0.05).

            However, the participants can share the knowledge gained from the training, and they can expand the network with the ratio of 1 to 30 of volunteer and published person. The participants joined together to produce 2 brands of herbal massage oils and began selling in the local market. This study apparently demonstrated the elders’ capabilities. They can further develop herbal products for sale and health promotion, and they can apply knowledge from the study to suit other elderly communities